Valve assembly



July 7 H. W..SEELER 3,5

VALVE ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 14. 1966 FIG. 3

' FIG. 1

INVENTOR HENRY w. SEELER HIS ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,518,989 VALVE ASSEMBLY Henry W. Seeler, Dayton,Ohio; Gerda A. Seeler, executrix of the estate of Henry W. Seeler,deceased Filed Feb. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 527,279 Int. Cl. A62b 9/02 US.Cl. 128-1455 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A valve assembly forcontrolling fluid flow, as in resuscitator devices, utilizes a singleunattached valve plate disposed between confronting valve seats locatedin a housing which forms a fluid receiving chamber. Each of the valveseats encircles a passage communicating from the exterior to theinterior of the housing. A third passage communicates between theexterior and interior of said housing and said valve assembly includesmeans to direct fluid entering said housing through said third passageagainst said valve plate to position said valve plate in a desiredoperating position.

In resuscitation applications the third passage is placed incommunication with a patients lungs and the other passages are placedrespectively in communication with a source of breathing gas and withthe ambient atmosphere. In operation, the patients exhalation gaseswhich pass into the housing through the third passage are directedagainst said valve plate so as to close the passage to the source ofbreathing gas while also opening the passage to the ambient atmosphere.

This invention relates to a valve assembly for controlling fluid flowand, more particularly, to a valve assembly for use with a resuscitatoror the like.

The mouth-to-mouth method of artificial respiration is far superior toany other type of manual resuscitation for insuring ample pulmonaryventilation. Since this method of artificial respiration createssanitary problems because of the required intimate contact,resuscitators of the mouth-to-mask type have been utilized to eliminatethe objection of the intimate contact while still resulting in thedesired effects of the rnouth-to-mouth method.

However, the use of these mouth-to-mask resuscitators, which areportable, has been limited due to their size and cost. For example,large cities have been reluctant to expend the necessary money to equipeach police car with a portable resuscitator. The present inventionmeets this requirement by providing a portable resuscitator ofrelatively low cost but high usefulness.

Since portable resuscitators will receive rough handling, thepossibility exists that the valve, which is utilized in the resuscitatorto control the flow of air from the operator of the resuscitator to thepatient and from the patient to the ambient atmosphere, may be damaged.If this should occur and not be noted, the resuscitator would not beavailable for use until the valve is repaired or replaced. The presentinvention employs a simplified valve design whereby a coin such as apenny or a dime, for example, may be easily substituted for the valve inthe resuscitator of the present invention. Also, household items such aswax paper, plastic wrapping foil, aluminum foil, or other thin materialsmay be used.

The valve construction of the present invention is so designed that nosupport means are attached to the valve to guide the valve in itsmovement whereby the minimum pressure differential required to operatethe valve is greatly reduced. Instead, the chamber in which the valve isdisposed is designed to provide the needed guide structure with minimalflow resistance.

An object of this invention is to provide a low cost and low breathingresistance portable resuscitator or breathing aid.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simplified valveconstruction for controlling fluid flow.

A further object of this invention is to provide a low cost valve foruse with a resuscitator and the like.

A further object of this invention is to provide a simple and easilysterilized pulmonary treatment apparatus characterized by an avoidanceof rebreathing and thus especially suited for medical applications.

Another object of this invention. is to provide a simple resuscitatorhaving a single moving part easily replaced in the field with readilyavailable substitutes.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, thecombination thereof, the method of manufacture and the mode ofoperation, as will become more apparent from the following description.

In the drawing, FIG. 1 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of abreathing assistance device showing one form of valve construction andtaken substantially along line 1-1 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary, longitudinal sectional view, similarto FIG. 1, but showing another form of valve construction.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, elevational view illustrating operation of thebreathing assistance device of the present invention.

Referring to the drawing and particularly FIG. 1, there is shown abreathing assistance device or resuscitator. The device or resuscitatorincludes a substantially cylindrical and tubular housing 10, which isformed of tubular sections 12 and 14. An end 16 of the housing section12 is enlarged and cooperates with an enlarged end 18 of the housingsection 14 to form a connection therebetween. A resilient band 20, whichis preferably formed of an elastomeric material, joins the two separablehousing sections 12 and 14 together by fitting around the enlarged ends16 and 18 thereof. Alternatively, the sections 12 and 14 may be joinedby other means such as gluing, threading, bayonet hooks and the like.

The tubular housing section 12 has a passage 22 extending therethrough.The longitudinal axis of the passage 22, which is circular in crosssection, is coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the housing 10.

'One end of the passage 22 communicates with a passage 24 in a breathingtube such as mouthpiece 26. The mouthpiece 26 has a depending annularportion 28, which tightly fits within a circular recess: formed by areduced portion 30 of the housing section 12.

The other end of the passage 22 communicates with a chamber 32 throughapertures 34, 36 and 38 in a web portion 40, which is formed integralwith the housing section 12. The aperture 34 is disposed centrallywithin the web portion 40 while the apertures 36 and 38 are arcuate anddiametrically disposed with respect to the central aperture 34.

An inner wall 42 of the enlarged end 16 of the housing section 12functions as the wall of the chamber 32. The inner wall 42 is fluted toform channels or grooves 44 therein. The channels or grooves 44 areseparated from each other by projections 46 (see FIG. 2). The chamber32, which has its upper limit defined by an end face 48 of the housingsection 12 and its lower limit defined by an end face 50 of the housingsection 14, has its longitudinal axis coaxial with the longitudinal axisof the housing 10.

The tubular housing section 14 has a passage 52 formed therein. Thepassage 52 is adapted to be connected to a breathing mask 54 (see FIG.4), which fits over a portion of the face of the patient to be revivedand provides a confined passage from the passage 52 to the mouth andnose of the patient, or a trachea tube that leads to the patient to berevived.

The size of the passage 52 is reduced at its end, which communicateswith the chamber 32, by a hollow cylindrical member 56. The crosssection of the passage 52 is reduced from circular at its endcommunicating with the mask '54 or the trachea tube to arcuate or curved(see FIG. 2) at its end communicating with the chamber 32.

The member 56 is concentric with the housing section 14 so that apassage 58, which is within the member 56, has its longitudinal axiscoaxial with the longitudinal axis of the housing 10. Likewise, thelongitudinal axis of the passage 52, in both its cylindrical portion andits smaller arcuate or curved portion is coaxial with the longitudinalaxis of the housing 10. The curved or armate portion of the passage 52partially surrounds the passage 58.

The wall of the housing section 14 has an integral portion 60 extendinginwardly to support the cylindrical member 56. The portion 60 of thewall of the housing section 14 has an opening or passage 62 extendingbetween the exterior of the housing section 14 and the lower portion ofthe passage 58 in the member 56 to connect the passage 58 with theexterior of the housing 10.

As will appear more fully in the succeeding remarks, the end face 48provides a seat for a valve element. In use, breathing gases flow acrossthe valve element and also the seating surface. Such gases areordinarily quite humid and, in consequence, condensation of moistureonto the valve and its seating surface can lead to a stickiness betweenthe valve and its seating surface. To minimize such condition, the endface 48 may be provided with an annular ridge 64 which substantiallyreduces the area of contact between the valve seat and the valve. Whenthe ridge 64 is provided, this ridge becomes, in effect, the valve seatand will be hereinafter referred to as a valve seat.

However, those skilled in the art will quickly recog nize that the ridge64 is not essential to the formation of a valve seat, which could beonly the flat annular surface of the end face 48. It will also bequickly recog nized that plural annular ridges concentric to the ridge64 may be used, as well as any other surface roughening device, toreduce surface adhesion between the valve and the valve seat.

The ridge or valve seat 64, as illustrated, surrounds the passage 22 atits end that communicates with the chamber 32. The axis of the annularridge or valve seat 64 is coaxial with the longitudinal axis of thehousing 10.

The end of the hollow cylindrical member 56 defines an annular valveseat 66, which surrounds the passage 58 at its end that communicateswith the chamber 32. The valve seat 66, which is in confronting relationwith the valve seat 64, has its axis coaxial with the longitudinal axisof the housing 10.

A single valve element 68, which is imperforate, is disposed within thechamber 32 and is freely movable 4 and floatable between the valve seats64 and 66 in response to pressure differentials acting thereon due tofluid pressures within the passages 22, 52, and 58.

The valve element '68, which is substantially planar, is circular andhas a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the innermost portionsof the projections 46 of the inner wall 42. Thus, the projections 46guide the valve element 68, which is unsupported, in its movementbetween the valve seats 64 and 66 to maintain the valve element 68substantially centered with respect to the valve seats 64 and 66.

The valve element 68 may be either rigid or resilient. It may be formedof any suitable material such as rubber, silicon rubber, plastic, ormetal, for example. If the diameter of the innermost portions of theprojections 46 is properly selected, the single valve element 68 may bea coin such as a penny or a dime, for example, depending on the diameterof the innermost portions of the projections 46 of the inner wall 42.Accordingly, in an emergency, a coin may be readily substituted for thesingle valve element 68 if the single valve element 68 should be lost ordamaged in some manner so as to not function properly.

As shown in FIG. 1, the single valve element 68 is relatively thin buthas sufficient thickness so as to not normally fracture or otherwisefail during operation. By making the single valve element 68 as thin aspossible, its weight is reduced so that the single valve element 68 isreadily responsive to changes in fluid pressures in the passages 22, 52,and 58.

The diameter of the valve seat 66 is less than the diameter of the valveseat 64 while the diameter of the single valve element 68 is greaterthan the diameter of the valve seat 64. Thus, the single valve element68 has a sufficient area of its surface or side 70, which engages orcontacts the valve seat 66, exposed to the pressure within the passage52 when the valve element 68 is engaging the valve seat 66 so that thevalve element 68 is lifted off the valve seat 66 to engage the valveseat 64 when the fluid pressures within the passages 52 and 58 create aforce greater than the force, which is created by the fluid pressurewithin the passage 22.

Because of the slight axial distance between the valve seats 64 and 66and the diameter of the single valve element 68 in comparison with thediameter of the passage 58, collapsing of the single valve element intothe passage 58 when the valve element 68 engages the valve seat 66 isnot possible even when the valve element 68 is formed of a resilientmaterial. However, collapsing of the valve element 68 into the passage22 could occur when the valve element 68 is formed of resilient materialunless the web 40 is present.

Of course, when the valve element 68 is formed of a rigid material, thevalve element 68 cannot collapse into even the passage 22. Thus, the webportion 40 could be eliminated, if desired, when the valve element 68 isformed of a rigid material.

It should be understood that the rest position of the valve element 68depends on the position of the housing 10. For example, if the housing10 is positioned as shown in FIG. 1, then the valve element 68- engagesthe valve seat 66 in its rest position due to gravity.

Referring to FIG. 4, operation of the breathing assistance device. ofthe present invention is shown. An operator or attedant has themouthpiece 26 within his mouth. The mask 54 is disposed over the mouthand nose of a patient, who is to be revived. As previously mentioned,the mask '54 is connected to the passage 52 in the housing 14 so that aconfined passage is provided from the passage 52 to the mouth and noseof the, patient.

When the attendant exhales, the pressure of the air within the passage22 moves the valve element 68 so that its surface 70 engages the valveseat 66. As a result, the exhaled air from the attendant flows from thepassage 22 into the chamber 32 and from the chamber 32, primarily bymeans of the channels 44, into the passage 52. Thus, air is supplied tothe patient without any direct contact between the patient and theattendant.

When the attendant stops exhaling, the pressure within the passage 22immediately reduces to that of the ambient atmosphere which is belowthat of the inflated lungs of the patient. Accordingly, the single valveelement 68 is moved away from the valve seat 66 by the differentialpressures acting thereon. The pressures and consequent air flow in thepassages 52 and chamber 32 act on the valve element 68 to causecontinued movement of the valve element 68 until its surface or side 72,which is opposite to the surface 70 and parallel thereto, moves intoengagement with the valve seat 64 to prevent communication between thepassage 22 and the chamber 32. The efficiency with which the valveelement 68 moves off the valve seat 66 toward the seat 64 is dependentupon the extent to which the periphery of the valve element 68 projectsbeyond the outer periphery of the seat 66 so as to react with flowinggases exhaled by the patient.

With the surface 72 of the valve element 68 held in engagement with thevalve seat 64 by the pressures and consequent air flow in the passage 52and chamber 32, the passage 58 communicates with the passage 52 throughthe chamber 32. Accordingly, an air flow due to natural exhalation ofair from the lungs of the patient occurs and continues as long as thelung pressure of the patient and consequent air flow is suflicient tohold the valve element 68 out of engagement with the valve seat 66 andin engagement with the valve seat 64. This pressure of the patientslungs and consequent air flow is ordinarily suflicient to maintain thevalve element 68 in engagement with the valve seat 64 and out ofengagement with the valve seat 66 until the attendant again exhalesthrough the passage 22.

As long as the patient is exhaling, there is no direct breathingcommunication between the patient and the attendant since the passage 22does not communicate with the chamber 32 at this time. Therefore, theattendant does not have to worry about contracting a contagious diseasewhen using the breathing aid device of the present invention.

In ordinary usage, the attendant inhales as the patient exhales byremoving his mouth from the mouthpiece 26 and turning his head to avoidthe patients exhalation gases. Alternatively, the attendant can inhalethrough his nose without removing his mouth from the mouthpiece 26.While not necessary to satisfactory operation of the present device, thehousing section 12 can also be provided with a check valve which willpermit the attendant to inhale through the mouthpiece 26, drawing airfrom the ambient atmosphere into and through the passage 22.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that repeated cyclesof induced inhalation of the patient due to exhalation by the attendantand natural exhalation of the patient may occur with the resuscitator ofthe present invention. These repeated cycles occur with the single valveelement 68 functioning as a fluid distribution valve, whichautomatically assumes the proper position during each phase of thebreathing cycle.

A modification of the fluid distribution device is shown in FIG. 3wherein a single valve element 80, which is preferably formed of apliable material such as rubber, is employed. The single valve element80 includes a substantially planar and circular base portion 82, whichhas a greater diameter than the annular valve seat 66. A surface or side84 of the base portion 82 engages the annular valve seat 66 when theattendant exhales through the passage 22.

The base portion 82 is surrounded by an outwardly diverging peripheralflange portion or skirt 86. The flange portion or skirt 86 projects fromsurface or side 88 of the base poriton 82. The surface or side 88 isdisposed on the opposite side from the surface or side 84 of the 6 baseportion 82 and is parallel to the surface or side 84.

In the modification of FIG. 3, the annular ridge, which forms theannular seat 64, is omitted. Instead, the end face 48 of the housingsection 12 functions as a valve seat for cooperation with the flangeportion or skirt 86 of the single valve element In the rest or relaxedcondition of the single valve element 80, the surface 84 of the baseportion 82 of the element 80 lightly contacts the annular valve seat 66while the flange portion or skirt 86 lightly contacts the end face 48 ofthe housing section 12. The outer diameter of the flange portion orskirt. 86 is only slightly less than the diameter of the innermost endsof the projections 46. Thus, the projections 46 of the inner wall 42guide the valve element 80 during movement within the chamber 32.

In the operation of the breathing assistance device of the presentinvention when used with the valve construction of FIG. 3, exhalation bythe attendant through the passages 24 and 22 results in the base portion82 firmly seating against the annular seat 66 while the flange portionor skirt 86 moves away from contact with the end face 48 of the housingsection 12. The amount of movement of the flange portion or skirt 86 islimited by engagement of its outer margin with the projections 46 on theinner wall 42 of the housing section 12. However, there is suflicientmovement to permit air to freely flow from the passage 22 into thechamber 32 and thence into the passage 52 by the channels 44 in thechamber 32.

When the attendant stops exhaling through the passage 22, the flangeportion or skirt 86 returns to engage the end face 48 of the housingsection 12. When this occurs, the exhalation pressure and consequent airflow from the patient through the passage 52 and chamber 32 issufficient to move the base portion 82 away from engagement with thevalve seat 66 whereby the patient may exhale through the passage 52, thechamber 32, and the passage 58 to the atmosphere. The exhalationpressure and consequent air flow by the patient also causes firm seatingof the flange portion or skirt 86 against the end face 48 to insure thatnone of the air from the patient enters the passage 22.

The central portion of the base portion 82 tends to curve upwardly andengage the web 40 due to the pressures within the passages 52 and 58 andpossible suction pressure created within the passage 22 by the attendantinhaling through his nose and indirectly through his mouth from thepassage 22. The web 40 insures that the valve element 80 is not movedupwardly so as to be incapable of returning to the position wherein itengages the valve seat 66.

Because of the overall size of the valve element 80 wtih respect to thevalve seat 66 and the slight axial distance between the end face 48 andthe valve seat 66, the valve element 80 will not be urged downwardlyinto the passage 58 to any degree. Thus, it is not necessary to provideany type of web support within the passage 58 to limit movement of thevalve element 80 thereinto.

As with the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, repeated cycles of inducedinhalation of the patient due to exhalation by the attendant and naturalinhalation of the patient occur with the valve element 80 functioning asa fluid distribution valve to automatically assume the proper positionduring each phase of the breathing cycle. Thus, the patient receives thedesired effect of mouth-tomouth breathing without the attendantreceiving any of the disadvantages, which normally occur inmouth-tomouth resuscitation.

While the valve assemblies of the present invention have been describedfor use with a breathing aid device, it should be understood that thevalve assemblies of the present invention may be readily utilized tocontrol fluid flow between various passages or ports wherein there arechanges at intermittent times in the pressures existing Within-one ormore of the passages or ports. While the housing selections 12 and 14and the mouthpiece 26 are preferably formed of a suitable plastic suchas styrene, it should be understood that any material, preferably onethat is non-corrosive, may be employed.

While the breathing aid device of the present invention has beendescribed for use with an operator or attendant supplying the air to thepatient to induce inhalation, it should be understood that any type ofmanual or automatic air supplying means could be attached to either thehousing section 12 or the mouthpiece 26 if desired.

Furthermore, the valve assemblies of the present invention may be usedwith the passage 22 communicating through check valves with the ambientatmosphere. In this arrangement, all inhaling by the attendant would bethrough his mouth.

The fluid distribution valve of the present invention does not requireany type of biasing element but merely depends upon the pressuredifferentials acting on the movable valve element. Thus, the fluiddistribution device of the present invention may be utilized to handlecorrosive material, for example, since the housing and the valve element68 or 80 are preferably formed of a non-corrosive material.

An advantage of this invention is that the breathing assistance deviceis relatively inexpensive in comparison with the presently availablemouth-to-mask resuscitators. Another advantage of this invention is thatany planar element such as a coin, for example, may be substituted forthe valve element in an emergency. A further advantage of this inventionis that the valve is the only moving part in the valve assembly. Stillanother advantage of this invention is that the need for any directsupport construction to the movable valve element or member iseliminated.

Although the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described,it will be understood that within the purview of this invention variouschanges may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement ofparts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generallystated consist of a device capable of carrying out the objects setforth, as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A valve assembly comprising a housing having a fluid receivingchamber therein, a plurality of passages communicating with saidchamber, a first of said passages being surrounded by a first valve seatat the end of said first passage communicating with said chamber,

a second of said passages being surrounded by a second valve seat at theend of said second passage communicating with said chamber, a singlevalve element disposed within said chamber and free to move in responseto gravitational forces between said first and second valve seats, athird of said passages always being in communication with said chamberirrespective of the position of said single valve element, said singlevalve element having an unsupported periphery, said single valve elementbeing movable within said chamber in response to pressure differentialacting thereon from any fluid pressures in said passages to engage saidfirst valve seat in a first position to prevent communication from saidfirst passage to said chamber and to engage said second valve seat in asecond position to prevent communication from said second passage tosaid chamber, said valve element when in said second position engagingsaid second valve seat with one side thereof and having an area of saidone side projecting outwardly from the outer periphery of said secondvalve seat, means to direct fluid entering said chamber from said thirdpassage against said area of said one side to move said valve elementaway from said second valve seat, means cooperating with a portion ofsaid single valve element to insure that said single valve element onlymoves between said first and second positions, said third passagecommunicating with said second passage through said chamber when saidsingle valve element is in said first position, and said third passagecommunicating with said first passage through said chamber when saidsingle valve element is in said second position.

2. The valve assembly according to claim 1 in which said single valveelement is imperforate.

3. The valve assembly according to claim 1 in which said single valveelement is substantially planar.

4. The valve assembly according to claim 1 in which said chamber has itsWall fluted to form channels, said cooperating means comprising theportions of the wall between the channels together with the periphery ofsaid valve element, said means to direct fluid comprising said channels.

5. The valve assembly according to claim 1 in which said single valveelement is rigid.

6. The valve assembly according to claim 1 in which said housing issubstantially cylindrical, each of said passages has its longitudinalaxis coaxial with the longitudinal axis of said housing, and saidchamber has its longitudinal axis coaxial with the longitudinal axis ofsaid housing.

7. The valve assembly according to claim 1 in which said first valveseat includes an annular wall portion surrounding said first passage,said wall portion supporting an annular ridge encircling said firstpassage, said ridge limiting the area of contact between said firstvalve seat and said valve element.

8. A valve assembly including a housing having a fluid receiving chambertherein, said housing having a pair of annular valve seats disposed inconfronting relation therein, each of said valve seats surrounding apassage communicating between said chamber and the exterior of saidhousing, a valve plate having an unsupported periphery and free to movein said chamber in response to gravitational forces, said valve platehaving oppositely facing surfaces with one of said surfaces engaging oneof said valve seats when said valve plate is in a first position and theother of said surfaces engaging the other of said valve seats when saidvalve plate is in a second position, said valve plate when in saidsecond position having an area of said other surface projectingoutwardly from the outer periphery of said other of said valve seats,said housing having a third passage communicating with the exterior ofsaid housing, means to direct fluid entering said chamber from saidthird passage against said area of said other surface to move said valveplate away from said other valve seat, and means cooperating with theperipheral edge of said valve plate to insure that said valve platemoves only between said first and second positions.

9. The valve assembly according to claim 8 in which said chamber has itswall fluted to form channels, the portions of the wall between thechannels comprising said cooperating means and said means to directcomprising the portions of said wall defining said channels.

10. The valve assembly according to claim 8 in which said valve plate issubstantially planar.

11. The valve assembly according to claim 8 in which said valve plate isimperforate.

12. The valve assembly according to claim 8 in which said valve plate isimperforate and substantially planar.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,887,104 5/1959 Sovinsky et al12'8-145.5 3,099,985 8/1963 Wilson et al. 128145.5 3,124,124 3/1964Cross 128145.5 3,251,359 5/1966 Ismach 128145.8 3,252,457 5/1966 Monacoet a1 128145.5 3,262,446 7/1966 Stoner 128145.7

(Other references on following page) 9 UNITED STATES PATENTS Hesse128-1458 Bartlett 128-1455 Roy 137-525 XR Patten 137-102 Mead 137-102Robinson 137-218 Hewitt 137-525 XR Brandenberg 137-102 Groth 137-102Johannisson 137-102 10 FOREIGN PATENTS 8/ 1961 Great Britain.

7/1962 Great Britain 10/ 1965 Great Britain. 12/ 1967 France.

US. Cl. XLR.

